Comparison and Analysis of Power Cycling and Thermal Cycling Lifetime of IGBT Module

In human transportation field, like electric vehicle and high-speed train, the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module is more and more widely used. These applications where the personnel safety is seriously concerned usually require IGBT modules with higher reliability. In this paper the typical automotive and industrial grade IGBT products were selected, and both the power cycling and thermal cycling tests were carried out to compare the reliability difference. The experimental results showed that the thermal cycling lifetime of automotive IGBTs was obviously better than that of industrial grade products, however the power cycling lifetime of automotive IGBT was worse than that of the industrial grade products.